Ask HN: Do you think a well-defined career framework is crucial for companies?

5 points by bjankovic 2 years ago | 8 comments

Hello, Hacker News community!

I'd like to kick off a discussion about career development frameworks (CDF) and their significance for companies. In today's fast-paced job market, companies are constantly challenged to retain talent, foster growth, and maintain a competitive edge.

A CDF provides employees with clear goals, a structured path for growth, and a roadmap for advancement within the organization.

However, not all companies have embraced CDF, and this can lead to a range of problems: - Uncertainty: Without a CDF, employees may lack clarity about their career paths, resulting in uncertainty about their future within the organization. - Retention Issues: The absence of a structured career path can contribute to employee dissatisfaction and higher turnover rates. - Competitive Disadvantage: In a competitive job market, companies without effective CDF may struggle to attract and retain top talent. - Missed Growth Opportunities: Employees may miss out on opportunities for skill development and career growth, potentially hindering innovation within the organization.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this topic. 1. Do you believe that a well-defined career development framework is crucial for companies in today's landscape? 2. Have you experienced the impact of not having a CDF, either as an employee or employer? 3. What are your insights on the challenges and benefits associated with CDF?

codingdave 2 years ago |

The most mind-blowing discussion I ever had about career progression was on my 2nd day at a bank, talking with the CTO. He said, "I'm not trying to retain any of you, I just hope to get 2-3 years from people and then expect they'll move on."

He got his wish.

But it was eye-opening. The needs of an individual employee to grow their career are not always matched up with any needs the leadership has to grow the career of their employees. If they can get by with mediocre talent that is cheap and turns over regularly, they will.

So is a framework crucial for companies? No. It is more important when the success of the company is directly tied to the talent of the staff. But it is surprising how many tech jobs just keep the lights on and don't need top talent.

bjankovic 2 years ago | |

Wow that is mind-blowing, thanks for sharing your perspective. Personally, I find it hard to grasp the idea of companies constantly onboarding and offboarding employees instead of investing in their growth. Every employee brings valuable domain knowledge, and investing in them can lead to better results. Happy and motivated employees tend to perform better, and that's something that can benefit any business in the long run.

mcraenich 2 years ago |

A 'well-defined career development framework' is a nice to have for most companies, but ultimately beholden to the lived reality of the business. Does the tech being used offer this possibility? Does anyone with clout in the company have the incentive to make it happen?

Most businesses are a collection of people filling roles, doing exactly what they're supposed to do to keep their job. That doesn't often lend itself to nice to haves like career development frameworks.

If the business has a major incentive to provide it, it'll likely come into existence.

Blackstrat 2 years ago |

The best company I ever worked for had a very well defined career framework. Salary ranges were defined. Skill and experience requirements were defined for each promotion level. How education layered in with experience was well defined. Decision points were defined for things like applications path vs. systems, as well as technical vs. management. Morale was sky high. The worst? No framework and promotions were ad hoc and discretionary as were salaries.

bhag2066 2 years ago |

With the greatest respect, I think you answered your own question. Maybe some companies purposely don't have them to keep employee expenses down?

bjankovic 2 years ago | |

Hmm, I understand the perspective of keeping expenses down, but it's essential to consider the long-term implications. Without a clear career path, employees may lose motivation and job satisfaction, ultimately affecting their performance. High turnover rates can lead to a negative reputation for the company and constant onboarding & offboarding, which is both costly and disruptive. Am I missing something here?

altdataseller 2 years ago | | |

Employees lose motivation because the work is boring or they aren’t getting paid enough. It’s not because they don’t have a clear career path. A lot of companies have hierarchies and there’s always the next level to reach, but it doesn’t mean I’m motivated as a result. I’m motivated because the work is meaningful, or because I want to make more money. Not because I am going to eventually be a VP then director if I continue grinding

altdataseller 2 years ago |

I think having good pay/benefits is more important than a nice to have like a career framework. If I’m not paid well, it doesn’t matter how organized a framework they have